Capillary refill time in febrile neutropenia / Tempo de enchimento capilar e neutropenia febril

Summary Introduction: Febrile neutropenia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients presenting this condition following chemotherapy against several malignancies. Objective: To evaluate if capillary refill time (CRT) allows the prediction of poor clinical outcome with or without antibiotic dose escalation. Method: Capillary refill time was assessed in 50 patients with febrile neutropenia at its nadir after chemotherapy admitted to the emergency department at Hospital Universitário de Brasília. All patients included had a minimum average arterial blood pressure of 75 mmHg, O2/FiO2 saturation rate > 300, and 15 points in the Glasgow coma scale. Inclusion depended on at least three of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria, suspected infection, and neutropenia after chemotherapy. Capillary refill time was calculated by pressing the index finger for 15 seconds, and then timing the return to the initial color. We studied whether there is a relationship between CRT and antibiotic escalation. The gold standard used to gravity was the level of lactate. Results: 31 patients had CRT ≥ 3 seconds, which it is associated with increased serum concentration of lactate (> 2 mmol/L; p<0.05). 32 patients underwent antibiotic escalation, which it is associated with CRT ≥ 3 seconds (p<0.01). Conclusion: CRT higher than three seconds was effective to predict antibiotic escalation.

Resumo Introdução: a neutropenia febril é uma das principais causas de morbimortalidade nos pacientes neutropênicos febris pós-quimioterapia para neoplasias diversas. Objetivo: avaliar se o tempo de enchimento capilar (TEC) é capaz de predizer pior desfecho clínico, pelo escalonamento ou não da antibioticoterapia. Método: foi pesquisado o TEC em 50 pacientes neutropênicos febris no nadir de pós-quimioterapia, que deram entrada no departamento de emergência do Hospital Universitário de Brasília. Todos os incluídos estavam com uma pressão arterial média mínima de 75 mmHg, relação saturação de O2/FiO2 > 300 e escala de coma de Glasgow de 15. Os critérios de inclusão foram pelo menos três da síndrome da resposta inflamatória sistêmica (SRIS), suspeita de infecção e neutropenia pós-quimioterapia. O TEC foi calculado através da pressão sobre o indicador por 15 segundos e cronometrado o tempo de retorno à cor inicial. Foi estudado se há relação entre valor encontrado no TEC e escalonamento de antibiótico. O padrão-ouro utilizado para gravidade foi o nível de lactato. Resultados: trinta e um pacientes tiveram o TEC ≥ 3 segundos, que se associou com o aumento da concentração de lactato (> 2 mmol/L; p<0,05). Trinta e dois pacientes tiveram escalonados seus antibióticos, que se associou com o TEC ≥ 3 segundos (p<0,01). Conclusão: o TEC maior que três segundos mostrou-se eficaz para predizer escalonamento de antibiótico.

Use of inflammatory molecules to predict the occurrence of fever in onco-hematological patients with neutropenia

Febrile neutropenia remains a frequent complication in onco-hematological patients, and changes in the circulating level of inflammatory molecules (IM) may precede the occurrence of fever. The present observational prospective study was carried out to evaluate the behavior of plasma tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), soluble TNF-α I and II receptors (sTNFRI and sTNFRII), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 [MCP-1 or chemokine (c-c motif) ligand 2 (CCL2)], macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α or CCL3), eotaxin (CCL11), interleukin-8 (IL-8 or CXCL8), and interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10 or CXCL10) in 32 episodes of neutropenia in 26 onco-hematological patients. IM were tested on enrollment and 24-48 h before the onset of fever and within 24 h of the first occurrence of fever. Eight of 32 episodes of neutropenia did not present fever (control group) and the patients underwent IM tests on three different occasions. sTNFRI levels, measured a median of 11 h (1-15) before the onset of fever, were significantly higher in patients presenting fever during follow-up compared to controls (P = 0.02). Similar results were observed for sTNFRI and CCL2 levels (P = 0.04 for both) in non-transplanted patients. A cut-off of 1514 pg/mL for sTNFRI was able to discriminate between neutropenic patients with or without fever during follow-up, with 65% sensitivity, 87% specificity, and 93% positive predictive value. Measurement of the levels of plasma sTNFRI can be used to predict the occurrence of fever in neutropenic patients.